By Laws (2005)

Article I: Name

The Environmental Issues is a Standing Committee of the Faculty Senate (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 3 (i) 9) with the following charge:

Environmental Issues Committee: to review and recommend policies and procedures pertinent to environmental issues as they relate to recycling, facilities use, campus beautification and stewardship, and traffic planning.

Article II: Members

Section 1: Selection

Members of the Environmental Issues Committee are appointed by the Committee on Committees. As possible, membership is assigned to properly represent each school of the University, the Odum Library and the Division of Social Work (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 3 (a)).

Section 2: Membership

a) Two of the members must be Senators, one of whom is the Chairperson (Senate Bylaws, Art II, Sec. 3 (c)).

b) One member is a student recommended by the President of the SGA (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec 3 (b)).

c) One member is a staff member elected by the Council on Staff Affairs.

d) The Past Chairman will remain on the Committee for one year as a voting member.

e) Ex Officio members are appointed by the Committee on Committees. All ex officio members on the Environmental Issues Committee will be nonvoting members. The Committee may nominate ex officio members to the Committee by sending a request in writing to the Committee on Committees.

f) Subcommittee members do not need to be faculty or Senators and are chosen solely by the Environmental Issues Committee. All Committee members will serve on a subcommittee.

Section 3: Terms

a) All Committee members serve three-year terms. Terms are staggered by the Committee on Committees (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec 5 (a, b, c)). Terms of Committee members and the Chairperson begin on August 1 and end on July 31.

b) Attendance: each appointed member must attend at least one meeting per semester.

c) Subcommittee terms are determined by the Committee.

Section 4: Resignations

Resigning members must submit to the Chairperson of the Committee a written resignation. A copy of all resignations must be submitted in writing to the Committee on Committees within a week of the resignation by the Committee Chairperson. The Committee on Committees appoints replacements (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 5 (h)).Article III Officers

a) Chairperson: The Chairperson of the Committee must be a Senator, is appointedby the Committee on Committees, and serves a one-year, renewable term (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 3 (g)).

b) Subcommittee Chairperson: The chairperson of each subcommittee isdetermined by the Environmental Issues Committee.

c) Secretary: The Chairperson-Elect should act as secretary, keeping writtenminutes of the Committee meetings, distributing the minutes in a timely manner, including placing a copy in the Odum Library within two weeks of each called meeting (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 6).

Article IV: Subcommittees

b) The Chairperson of the Environmental Issues Committee will inform the Committee on Committees of membership of each subcommittee in time to include them in the Fall listing of the Faculty Handbook.

c) The specific standing subcommittees and their responsibilities.

Campus Beautification and Stewardship is the body designated by the VSU Tree Preservation and Maintenance Policy that the administration is required to consult regarding any and all proposals for tree removals on campus. The subcommittee also works with Plant Operations (Grounds) to oversee, enforce and implement other aspects of the TPMP, including care, maintenance, and planning for new plantings and landscaping. The subcommittee is charged with approving expenditures from the Jewel Whitehead endowment for the purpose of campus beautification.

Energy Conservation and Facilities is responsible for evaluating energy usage on campus in both internal and external environments and making recommendations for ways in which energy conservation can be attained. ECF will also work with the VSU Administration in overseeing and implementing the VSU Campus Outdoor Lighting Policy

Recycling is responsible for recommendations regarding institutional policies or improvements in the areas of recycling and pertinent maintenance practices. The subcommittee seeks to work closely with Plant Operations and other relevant administrative units to promote goals of recycling and waste reduction in support of a better environment.

Traffic and Parking Planning is responsible for recommendations regarding institutional policies and improvements in the areas of planning for traffic and parking, specifically with regard to the campus and community environment.

d) The Environmental Issues Committee will approve the chairperson of each of its subcommittees. The chairperson of each subcommittee will be a faculty member of the Environmental Issues Committee.

e) Reports from the subcommittees will be presented to the Chairperson of the Environmental Issues Committee prior to each of the Committee's two required semester meetings (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 1).

Article V: Procedures

a) On or before September 1, the Committee will discharge the following responsibilities (Senate Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 6 (a 1-3)):

1. Set the schedule for regular meetings and so inform the Committee on Committees. The Committee on Committees will publish the schedule to be included in the Faculty Handbook.

2. Submit to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate a report containing an assessment of the Committee's charge and its annual goals.

3. Submit written rules governing procedures to the Executive Secretary of the Faculty Senate and place a copy of these rules on reserve in the Odum Library.

b) All proposals, recommendations, reports, and any other material to be presented for consideration to the Environmental Issues Committee must be submitted to the Committee Chairperson.

c) All Committee meetings are open.

d) Guests of the Committee will be allowed to speak only by expressed permission of the Committee.

e) Substantive minutes and/or records of deliberations of the Committee will be kept. Copies of the minutes, reports, proposals, recommendations, and all other documents will be placed on reserve in the Odum Library no later than two weeks after a Committee meeting. At the end of the year, these Committee records will be collected and placed in the University archives in the Odum Library.

f) An annual report will be prepared and submitted to the Executive Secretary of the Faculty Senate by April 30.

g) A quorum to carry on the business of the Committee will be one-half of the voting membership.

h) Proxies will be allowed for Committee members who are unable to attend Committee meetings, but can only be given to other Committee members. The Chairperson of the Committee must be notified of proxies prior to the meeting. No person may hold more than one proxy at any meeting.

i) Voting will be by a show of hands, unless otherwise ordered by the Committee. A majority of votes will carry an issue. Any Committee member may request a written ballot on any issue.

Article VI: Amendments

The Bylaws of the Environmental Issues Committee may be amended by a majority vote of the Committee. Proposed amendments to the Bylaws must be submitted by Committee members to the Chairperson in a timely manner for review, discussion and possible action.